Trains to run on Khulna Mongla rail route
Bagerhat Correspondent :
Khulna-Mongla Rail line, a dream of the people of the south-western regions of the country, will be inaugurated on Wednesday virtually by Sheikh Hasina, the Premier of Bangladesh and Narendra Mody, the Premier of India.
It was learnt from the Rly authorities. As a result, the bad name of Mongla Sea Port as the only international Sea Port of the world without Railway connection (since its inception in the year of 1950) will go for good.
In order to make easy the transportation of goods by train from Mongla Sea Port (in Bagerhat district) to Khulna a train played on the newly constructed rail line between the Port and Fultala Rly station (Khulna) on trial basis on Monday (October 30) afternoon.
It was disclosed by Ahmed Husain Masum, Chief Engineer of Khulna-Mongla Rly Project. He added, though the Rail line will be ceremonially inaugurated by the 2 premiers of Bangladesh and India (virtually) the regular plying of passenger trains and goods-trains will be started after one and half a months.
Through this train line imported goods will be sent to their destinations with the less cost. On the other hand, India, Nepal and Bhutan can use Mongla Port for export-import purposes through this Khulna-Mongla Rail Line. So, this Rly line will be able to play an important role in the financial development of the south-western regions of the country.
It was claimed by Rear Admiral Mir Ershad Ali, Chairman of Mongla Port authorities. Saiful Islam, General Secretary of the Coordination Committee of the Mongla Port users’ told, import of re-conditioned cars and other vehicles, export of refrigerated fish (particularly lobsters and shrimps) and jute was long ago and by this time the export of garments was also started from Mongla Port.
Transportation cost of export-import goods on roads is very high in the inland. After the regular plying of trains on Khulna-Mongla Rail line the transport cost will be minimized 10 to 20 per cent. So, I think, a new era will be ushered in the history of Mongla Port just with the beginning of the regular playing of the trains on this newly constructed railway.
It is learnt from the Rly authorities that the construction works of this Rail line was started in the month of September in the calendar year of 2016 at a cost of Tk.4 thousand 2 hundred 60 crs. The allocation for the Project is Tk.4, 260 crores and out of the total fund Tk. 2,948 crores was borrowed as loan from India and the rest money Tk. 1,312 crores was borne by Bangladesh Government.
